The Giants prefer spending their big money on starting pitchers, all five of whom are signed through next season, though the next big payday could go to catcher Buster Posey, who's eligible for salary arbitration for the first time.

What it says, if the Giants' strategy sticks, is Hamilton won't be playing in China Basin next year. And holes will be filled with players making far less money with shorter term deals.

That's if there are any holes.

The Giants' three biggest free agents are center fielder Angel Pagan, second baseman Marco Scutaro and Affeldt, all of whom said at Wednesday's parade that they want to remain Giants.

At the right price, naturally.

Scutaro, who's 37 and has played on five teams in six years, made $6 million and might not command an over-the-top raise, his NLCS MVP and game-deciding RBI in the World Series clincher notwithstanding. But he SHOULDbe able to snag a two-year deal.

Affeldt, 33, made $5 million in an option year on a contract he signed three years ago. After posting ERAs of 2.70 in the regular season and 0.00 in the postseason, he should have no problem landing a three-year deal, and let it be known Brandon League set the market for relievers by re-signing with the Dodgers for three years and $22.5 million.

Pagan, 31, made $5 million in his final year of arbitration and stands to gain the biggest raise among Giants free agents. He scored 95 runs and hit a majors-high 15 triples, and the Giants' season took off when he returned to the leadoff spot in early August.

"There's no doubt you have to stay flexible with all your options," assistant GM Bobby Evans said. "You don't want to lock yourself into one area. If you have options to meet needs from within, you do that. If you can't do it within, you look at the trade markets. Or free agency. You can't eliminate any part of the formula."

The Giants haven't ruled out re-signing Cabrera, but internal conversations will go beyond his on-field value and weigh his drug bust, hasty exit from the clubhouse and phony website set up on his behalf in a futile bid to avoid the sentence.

If the Giants lose Pagan, Bourn, a two-time Gold Glover, would be a nice fit in center field and leadoff after he collected 96 runs and 42 steals for the Braves. But he struck out 155 times and was caught stealing a league-high 13 times. Pagan's numbers in those categories were 97 and seven.

The Giants were hot on Ichiro before he was dealt to the Yankees on July 23, eight days before San Francisco got Hunter Pence from the Phillies. Ichiro turned 39 on Oct. 22, but he drastically improved his numbers once he left Seattle and could handle any outfield position at China Basin.

In any case, the outfield will be general manager Brian Sabean's top concern for a second straight offseason. Last year, he traded for Pagan and Cabrera, knowing they had one season before free agency, and trades are an option again this winter - remember, the World Series lineup included three players acquired in trades to complement four homegrown players.

Only one was acquired as a free agent. A minor-league free agent at that: Gregor Blanco.

Blanco and Pence, who's arbitration-eligible, are the Giants' only outfielders under club control for 2013. Xavier Nady is a free agent. Through arbitration, Pence would get a bump from $10.4 million and will seek a long-term deal. He had 45 RBIs in 59 regular-season games following the trade and evolved into an inspirational leader in the postseason.

But he hit .219 as a Giant in the regular season, .210 in the postseason and wasn't the on-field force Sabean anticipated when orchestrating the trade.